This invention relates generally to an environmental simulation system. More particularly, the invention relates to travel simulation systems capable of simulating traveling conditions of places including weather, driving, and other environmental conditions.
Simulation systems exist for specialized training such as flight simulation for airplane pilots. Such simulation systems simulate visual as well as audio aspects of flights to train the pilots for emergency landings, equipment learning, new plane working trainings, and the like.
However, these systems are very expensive and are not generally available to the public. Also, a specialized system, such as the flight simulator, is not a generic solution in the area of simulations. The general public has very little use of such specialized simulation systems.
In addition, most or all simulators simulate xe2x80x9cmade-upxe2x80x9d environments. For example, game simulators simulate the conditions of the virtual game world. Most simulators do not account for the xe2x80x9creal-lifexe2x80x9d environmental conditions such as the weather, traffic patterns, road hazards, etc. Further more, most simulators also do not account for the dynamically changing nature of the environment.
In accordance with an aspect of the present invention, a travel simulating system includes an environmental information supplier configured to transmit environmental information related to environmental conditions based on a plurality of inputs from a user; a travel information supplier configured to transmit travel information related to travel based on the plurality of user inputs and the information related to environmental conditions; and a travel simulator configured to receive the environmental information, the travel information, and the plurality of user inputs to simulate travel.
In accordance with another aspect of the principles of the invention, a method to simulate travel includes receiving a plurality of inputs from a user; retrieving environmental information based on the plurality of user inputs; retrieving travel information based on one or more of the plurality of user inputs and the environmental information; and simulating travel based on one or more of the plurality of user inputs, the environmental information, and the travel information.
In accordance with a further aspect of the principles of the invention, a travel simulation system includes a travel simulator configured to simulate traveling conditions based on plurality of user inputs, wherein the plurality of user inputs include at least one of source, destination, time, method of travel and type of travel; a weather data supplier configured to transmit weather information to the travel simulator, wherein the weather information includes one of a predicted weather condition based on the plurality of user inputs from a weather information database and an actual weather condition also based on the plurality of user inputs; an obstruction data supplier configured to transmit obstruction information to the travel simulator, wherein the obstruction information includes one of a predicted obstruction information based on the plurality of user inputs from an obstruction information database and an actual obstruction condition also based on the plurality of user inputs; a travel information supplier configured to transmit travel information to the travel simulator based on the plurality of user inputs and the weather and obstruction information, wherein the travel information includes one or more of preferred travel directions, alternate travel directions, and sights.
Certain advantages follow from certain embodiments of the invention. For example, the simulation system is useful to the general public. Also, the system can be implemented less expensively than a specialized system, such as the flight simulator. Further, the system provides a user with virtual travel depicting realistic environmental and traveling conditions so that a measure of predictability is introduced when the user actually takes the trip. Still further, the system is updateable with current conditions, such as environmental and traveling, so that the environmental and travel conditions may be dynamically adjusted and the future predictions may become more accurate. Still further, the system provides a virtual travel experience to those who are unable to make a trip, because of a disability, illness, or the like.